Jack Cahill the star turn as Ballingarry win south Tipperary Under 21 A hurling title

Ballingarry 1-22 St Patrick's 1-13

A sublime display of scoring from Jack Cahill steered Ballingarry to a nine-points win over St Patrick’s in the John Healy Lawnmowers and Quads South Tipperary Under 21 A Hurling Championship final at Kilsheelan on Sunday.

Cahill, son of All-Ireland-winning Tipperary senior hurling manager Liam Cahill, defied the wind and rain to convert 14 frees and hit four points from play in a remarkable 18 points haul, all but 1-4 of his side’s total.

An obvious man of the match choice, Cahill not only punished any St Patrick’s indiscretions with flawless free-taking from all distances but was also outstanding in open play, creating openings for his fellow forwards while his points from play were also crucial scores.

It was not a day for silky hurling stills, and with St Patrick’s Charlie Noonan scoring ten points from frees, it meant that 25 of the 37 scores were from placed balls. But that won’t trouble Ballingarry who, after an even first 45 minutes, dominated the final quarter for a win that was wildly celebrated by their supporters.

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Even the sending-off of Michael Ryan didn’t impact their performance, the full back dismissed on a second yellow card eight minutes into the second half.

Manager John Walsh was delighted with the performance.

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“We knew from the start of the year that we had a good bunch of lads. We had them at under 19 and we knew that they had it in them. Even when we went down to fourteen players it drove us on in a way, because everyone works hard for the team and the club”.

He now wants to see all these players move on a level to the club intermediates and eventually get up to Premier Intermediate next season. “They’re the future of the club and we want them to drive on and get us back to where we should be”.

And what of his star forward, Jack Cahill?

“He has been top notch all year. What can you say about him, he just loves hurling, is in the field every day of the week. He’s in with the Tipp under 20s now and hopefully can go on and win more with them too”.

Charlie Noonan from a free inside thirty seconds and a reply from Jack Cahill from play were the only scores before Ballingarry struck for the game’s first goal after just three minutes, Tommy McGrath and Ben Ivers involved in the build-up before Diarmuid Ryan shot home past Danny Broderick in the St Patrick’s goal.

Cahill, from his first free, extended the lead but the Drangan/Cloneen side replied through a Noonan free and Finn Madigan from play. There was very little between the sides at this stage, with Ballingarry two ahead midway through the half, 1-5 to 0-6, with points from Tommy McGrath, a Cahill free and Diarmuid Ryan with a Simon Blackmore assist, to three Noonan pointed frees for St Patrick’s.

Noonan and Cahill exchanged frees before three points on the bounce edged St Patrick’s in front for the first time since the opening minute – two from Charlie Noonan frees and a brilliant point from team captain Daithí Hogan.

Then after Ballingarry spurned scoring chances from both play and placed balls, Noonan extended his side’s lead to two with a fine point from play, before a lovely score from Ballingarry’s Adam O’Donnell from a tight angle left it a one-point game at the interval, 0-11 to 1-7 in favour of St Patrick’s.

In a game of many twists and turns, Ballingarry won a free from the throw-in for the second half and Jack Cahill pointed.
Then the radar on both sides seemed to go awry, with missed chances at either end, before a Cahill free in the 36th minute restored the Slieveardagh side’s lead, 1-9 to 0-11.

The dismissal of full back Michael Ryan might have been expected to disrupt Ballingarry, but instead they went on to play their best hurling of the game and began to pull away from St Patrick’s.

Another Noonan free tied the scores again but then Ballingarry hit five points without reply to establish the biggest lead so far – all five from Jack Cahill, three from frees, with the last score from play a superb effort from the right touchline.

St Patrick’s broke their run of scores when Noonan pointed a free following a foul on Conor Maguire, but Ballingarry hit back with another five without reply, four from Cahill frees, as St Patrick’s struggled to contain the Ballingarry onslaught, and the fifth a beautiful score from Ben Ivers following a run through the centre.

That put Ballingarry nine ahead, 1-19 to 0-13, with three minutes left on the clock. St Patrick’s got a glimmer of hope when Charlie Noonan put Daithí Hogan through to beat Jack Ryan in the Ballingarry goal but instead of building on that, it was Ballingarry who finished stronger with Ballingarry – and Jack Cahill – hitting the last three points of the game, two from frees.

Cahill was the undoubted star for Ballingarry and he had good support in attack from Ben Ivers, Tommy McGrath and Billy McGrath; Tommy Blackmore and Diarmuid Ryan were dominant at midfield, with Ryan chipping in with 1-1, while team captain Simon Blackmore, Bill Cahill and Tadhg O’Brien were strong in defence.

Charlie Noonan’s role as top scorer was vital for St Patrick’s, but on a difficult day for forwards, Daithí Hogan, Oran Gahan and Conor Maguire all impressed, with good displays also from Bill Cuddihy, Cormac Duggan, Sean Nash and Willie Cleere.

A minute’s silence was observed before the throw-in following the death over the weekend of former St Patrick’s clubman and player, Paddy Russell.

Ballingarry: Jack Ryan, Tadhg O’Brien, Michael Ryan, Michael Kerwick, Kieran Murray, Bill Cahill, Simon Blackmore, Tommy Blackmore, Diarmuid Ryan 1-1; Jack Cahill 0-18, 14f; Billy McGrath, Lee Cleere, Tommy McGrath 0-1; Adam O’Connell 0-1; Ben Ivers 0-1.

Subs: Rory O’Brien for Lee Cleere, Shane Ryan for Adam O’Connell, Senan McAree for Tommy McGrath, Darragh Pollard for Kieran Murray, Eoghan McAree for Diarmuid Ryan.

St Patrick’s: Danny Broderick, Robbie Noonan, Bill Cuddihy, Evan Holohan, Cormac Duggan, Sean Nash, Eoin Morrissey, Sean Fitzgerald, William Cleere, Finn Madigan 0-1; Oran Gahan, Daithí Hogan 1-1; Conor Maguire, Charlie Noonan 0-11, 10f; Jack Cleere.

Subs: Brian O’Halloran for Eoin Morrissey.

Referee: Brian Tyrrell (Clonmel Commercials).